Why does fake tan go streaky?

Has your fake tan gone streaky? You might have accidentally made some of these common mistakes:

You forgot to exfoliate

Always exfoliate your skin a day before fake tanning to remove dead skin cells. If you tan on un-exfoliated skin your golden colour will start to look patchy and streaky as your skin cells begin to flake off. Start off with fresh, exfoliated skin and your gorgeous glow will last longer too.

Your skin was too dry

Some areas, like the elbows and feet, tend to be drier than other parts of the body and end up absorbing more tanner. This can create streaks and uneven spots of colour around the ankles and arms. Combat this by blending a touch of moisturiser into your tanning product and applying it over dry areas.

You didn’t remove your deodorant¬†and beauty products

Don’t go too heavy with the moisturiser though because some skincare products act as barriers to tanner and won’t allow the skin to ‘catch’ the colour. Try to fake tan on skin that’s free from beauty products, including make up, deodorant and perfume.

You¬†didn’t use enough tanner

Trying to make a small amount of tanner go further can lead to a streaky finish. Don’t be stingy with the product and use as much as you need while remembering that you can always deepen your final colour the next day if the results are too light for you.

You forgot your mitt

A texturised tanning mitt is perfect for buffing in fake tan and preventing streaks and patches. A mitt will also absorb extra tanner so you won’t need to worry about overdoing it with excess product. Plus, the wide surface area of a tanning mitt will allow you to cover tricky bits like your lower back and the backs of your hands, ensuring that every part of your body is evenly covered.

You came out of the shower too early

Make sure that the water runs completely clear before you step out from the shower to guarantee that all the product has been washed off. Failing to wash away the guide colour properly will result in an uneven-looking tan.